Swinging ball toys



y 1961 R. w. DREES SWINGING BALL TOYS Fild April 17, 1959 IN VENTOR ROBERT W DREES ATTORNEY Filed Apr. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 8il7,(l59 2 Qiaims. (Qi. 46-52) This invention relates to improvements in spinning toys utilizing a plurality of swinging balls so constructed and arranged as to contact during rotation.

The main object of this invention is to provide a toy, the use of which requires great skill and dexterity and at the same time provides amusement when successfully operated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanical toy including rotating balls swinging about a fixed pivot, the balls being positioned so that parts thereof will move in a common plane for impact and rebound and in addition will produce a sound effect.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanical toy structure in which two parts can be manually operated about a common pivot to cause their synchronized engagement and rebound, upon acquiring appropriate skill and dexterity.

These and other objects or" the invention will more clearly hereinafter appear by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the instant specification and wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical elevation with parts in section.

structurally the invention comprises a shank or handle 1 which may be formed of any suitable light material and from which axially projects a spindle or bearing pin 2 having a head 3 at its outer end. The handle or shank 1 may be built of sufficiently light material to permit convenient manipulation by a child interested in playing with the toy and may be made of different lengths to accommodate different sized persons.

The spindle or bearing pin 2 has its pointed extremity 3 sufficiently imbedded in the end of the shank 1 to hold the same in a removable but fixed position and has sufficient structural stability so as not to bend or be otherwise deformed during use in supporting and rotating the inner and outer arms 5 and 6. Only two of these arms are shown, however, more than two could be used to provide a more complicated operation of the structure.

The lower or inner arm 6 has a flat upper surface 7 and an outwardly and upwardly tapered lower surface 8, and has fixed to its extremity a ball 9, the ball having its major portion above the flat top surface 7 of the arm so as to provide impact with the associated arm 5 and the ball it) carried thereby, as will more clearly hereinafter appear. The arm 6 has a flat area 11 which provides a bearing surface for rotary movement on the upper flat surface 12 of the handle or shank It.

The upper or outer arm 5 has a flat lower surface 14, the hub end of which at 15 lies upon the upper flat surface 7 of the arm *6 so that the parts can freely and relatively rotate in a single plane. The upper portion of the arm 5 is downwardly and outwarly tapered as at 16 and the end of the arm is connected with the ball so as to position the major portion of same for impact drapes Em are with the ball 9 when the arms are oppositely rotated, or when one arm is rotated at a speed greater than the other arm.

From an inspection of FIG. 2 it will be seen that the top surface 7 of the arm 6, and the bottom surface 14 of the arm 5, lie in a common plane and that this plane horizontally intersects the balls 9 and 10 medially of their vertical dimensions. By this structure it will be obvious that the balls, upon contact, will engage at their horizontal axes so that their rebound will be at the maximum. In this connection it will be understood that the balls 9 and 10 may be made of any suitable material which will provide necessary reaction or rebound upon impact. This is desirable when an operator with a generally circular movement of the wrist causes the arms 5 and 6 and the balls 9 and 10 carried thereby to swing in opposite directions. Upon such a movement, the impact from the engagement of the balls will cause the arms to reverse themselves for further impact and thus produce an oscillatory movement of the arms and the balls associated therewith.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a handle, member, said handle member having a flat bearing surface at one end, a spindle projecting axially from said handle member medially of said bearing surface, a head at the outer end of said spindle, inner and outer arms each independently swingably mounted at its inner end portion upon the spindle for free rotational movement, the inner arm having its inner end portion seating upon said flat bearing surface and said outer arm having its outer surface of its inner end abutting the head of the spindle, said outer arm being mounted upon and abut-- ting the adjacent face of the inner arm at the spindle, said arms being of substantially the same length and carry ing at their outer extremities ball-like structures, each of said ball-like structures including portions projecting into the path of movement of the ball-like structure of the other arm, whereby said ball-like structures will abut when the arms are reversely rotated.

2. In a device of the character described, a handle) member, a spindle projecting axially from one end of thehandle member, inner and outer arms each independently: swingably mounted at its inner end portion upon the spindle for free rotational movement, said outer arm being mounted upon and abutting the adjacent face of the inner arm at the spindle, the adjacent inner faces of the arms extending radially of the axis of the spindle in a common plane, said arms being of substantially the same length and carrying at their outer extremities balllike structures, each of said ball-like structures projecting laterally inwardly of its arm for abutting engagement with the ball-like structure of the adjacent arm when said arms are reversely rotated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,188,488 Rehor June 27, 1916 1,858,145 Felardo May 10, 1932'- FOREIGN PATENTS 625,695 Great Britain July 1, 1949 

